Poland Accuses Russia of Using Cryptocurrency to Fund Espionage Operations in Europe – Report

Quick Breakdown 

• Poland accuses Russia of using crypto to fund espionage in Europe
• GRU-linked network reportedly financed with digital assets
• Poland drafts bill to tighten oversight of crypto transactions

Poland’s top security official has alleged that Russia is increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies to finance espionage activities and destabilization campaigns across the European Union.

Kad Latvijā sāk daudzināt kriptovalūtu biznesu, kas mums atvedīs ekonomikas izrāvienu, es nez kāpēc domāju par šo: Russia pays Europe’s saboteurs in crypto, says Polish official via @ft pic.twitter.com/UwmYtado4M

— Juris Briedis 🆓 (@anonimizets) October 13, 2025

Crypto allegedly used to fund Russian covert operations

In an interview with the Financial Times, Sławomir Cenckiewicz, head of Poland’s national security agency, said Moscow likely uses digital assets to fund its shadow fleet and launch covert drone operations across European airspace. These efforts, he added, are part of a broader strategy to conduct sabotage and intelligence-gathering missions within EU borders.

Cenckiewicz pointed to previous findings from 2023, when Polish authorities uncovered a GRU-linked network—referring to Russia’s military intelligence agency—that had been “to a high extent financed with cryptocurrency.” He said current intelligence suggests similar tactics are being used today to avoid traditional financial detection mechanisms.

According to the report, Russian operatives and locally recruited agents have managed to infiltrate parts of Poland, with several individuals already charged in recent years for espionage and acts of sabotage tied to Moscow.

Warsaw moves to tighten digital asset oversight

In response, Polish regulators are advancing new crypto oversight legislation to close loopholes that could enable foreign powers to fund covert operations through digital assets. Cenckiewicz emphasized that the national intelligence service is closely monitoring the drafting of this bill to ensure the framework effectively blocks crypto-based financing of espionage.

“The Polish intelligence services are very much interested in this legislative process,” Cenckiewicz stated, underscoring the need to prevent hostile governments from exploiting crypto channels.

Cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, are often used in cross-border transactions because of their pseudonymous nature and lack of reliance on traditional banking intermediaries, making them an increasingly attractive tool for covert state operations.

Meanwhile, Russians currently hold over $25.4 billion in cryptocurrencies, a figure driven by rising institutional participation. Analysts say the surge underscores the growing role of digital assets in Russia’s financial system despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty,  a trend that may push policymakers to move faster on a national cryptobank. 

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